Lubricating compound



Patented Jan. 23, 1934 STATES 1,944,2'23 Lnnamar'mo ooMPonNn 71 oi-li No Drawing. Application June 6, 1929 Serial No. 369,0ll8

l il laiurn The invention relates to lubricating compounds and method of making such compounds, and.

more particularly to Wire drawing compounds and their method of manufacture.

Lubricating compounds for wire drawing machines, particularly machines designed for drawing wire at high speed or metal processing machines in general, have in many instances consisted principally of a lubricant, such as tallow, lard oil, fish oil, or vegetable oils mixed with soap and water, the soap acting as a flotation agent for the tallow or oil. Experience has proved the requirement of having the'tallow finely dispersed in the soap in very small particles. As is particularly true in the drawing of wire, the tallow which acts as a lubricating medium forms a thin surface layer on the'wire being drawn and also on the mouth and reducing aperture of the reducing die. If the tallow is not finely dispersed throughout the soap insufiicient and inadequate lubrication results, and consequently a wire of inaccurate size is produced and the dies either become badly worn or subject the wire to excessive tension frequently resulting in broken wire. When the tallow is not finely dispersed not only does improper lubrication result, but it collects at the mouth of the die and accumulates an excessive amount of copper dust from the wire being reduced. Due to this collection of copper dust extreme heating results and replacement of the dies or the restringing of the dies because of broken wire is necessary. It is also noted that when preparing a wire drawing compound consisting of water, tallow, and soap it is, in many instances, necessary to use the compound in the wire drawing machine for a considerable period before sumcient and adequate lubrication is achieved. Many theories as to'the reason for this condition have been advanced, but so far no definite conclusion as to the actual cause has been agreed to by wire drawing experts. In view of the facts as stated it is highly desirable to have a wire drawing compound in which the tallow or the lubricating medium is finely, readily, and quickly dispersed in the flotation agent.

The object of the present invention is the provision of a lubricating compound which possesses extremely high lubricating properties and in which these lubricating properties may be developed in a relatively short period of time and retained for a considerable period of time.

In accordance with this object, one embodiment of the invention contemplates the use of a soluble alginate either alone or In combination llll with another medium as the flotation or suspending agent for the lubricant.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a wire drawing compound embodying the invention.

One lubricating compound which has proved very satisfactory for wire drawing consists of the following ingredients mixed in the proportions named by weight: Anhydrous sodium alginate, 1 part; water, 195 parts; tallow, 4 parts. In the preparation of this compound the sodium alginate is dissolved in 25 parts of water, the lubricant thenadded, and the whole mixture is boiled for one hour by direct injection of live steam. After allowing the mixture'to cool to approximately 150 F. it is then passed through a homogenizer or colloid mill at the rate of about 300 gallons per hour to obtain a fine dispersion of the fat particles, whereupon the mixture is gradually added to the remainder of the water which is forceably agitated by continuously pumping the entire compound through a return circulating system which in some cases may include the wire drawing machine.

Another formulae which gives very satisfactory results is as follows: Anhydrous sodium alginate, 1 part; water, '195 .parts; soap, 2 parts; tallow, 4 parts. In the preparation of this compound, the sodium alginate is dissolved in 25 parts of warm water, the soap is then added to the warm solution, the lubricant is next added, and the entire mixture boiled for one hour. The mixture is then passed through a colloid mill and the remainder of the water added and the compound thoroughly agitated as described for the aforementioned compound.

In preparing lubricating compounds with the alginates there may be used in place of the tallow or in combination therewith any of the well known lubricants, such as graphite, rapeseed oil, sperm oil, seal oil, lard oil, mineral oil, fish oil, cotton seed oil, etc.

The lubricating compounds so obtained are very stable and effective for use in the drawing of wire, since the alginate emulsion acts in the nature of a vehicle to conduct and. deposit the lubricant onto the surface of the wire and the wire drawing apparatus where it will be of greatest service. These alginic lubricating compounds have been found to give exceptionally good operating results since satisfactory lubricating prop erties are obtained immediately upon the compounds being put into'use. In addition to this. the compounds also effectively wash away deleterious foreigmmatter from the drawing dies and act as a cooling agent to prevent any considerable increase in temperature.

Another important advantage of these alginic compounds is the inherent characteristic they possess or having an unusually long, useful life in providing effective lubrication under continuous operating conditions. It is necessary, in some instances, with the ordinary lubricating comnoundsto make comparatively frequent additions of emulsions of lubricating agents since the compounds are unstable and the lubricants settle or separate out to thus decrease the lubricating efliciency. The addition of the alginate promotes the emulsiflcation ,0! the lubricants with the carrying medium, which is usually water, whereby the minute globules of lubricants are finely dispersed and retained in suspension for long periodsof time. Hence, the alginate in the compound materially facilitates the emulsiflcation and imparts a character of permanence to its lubricating life.

Lubricating compounds containing an alginate understood that the embodiments of the invention herein described are merely convenient and use ful forms of the invention, which are-capable at many other modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

. A wire drawing compound comprising substantially one part of soluble alginate, four parts of tallow, two parts of soap, and one hundred and. ninety-five parts of water.

GEORGE STANLEY RUTHERFORD. 

